Newbie question

[jonpfl]

All,

I just picked up this game a few days ago and started playing as Germany.

I am getting crushed by the English navy (mostly by carriers in the Med). Is this normal? How do I combat that, they seem super powerful.

Thx
jonpfl

[Platoonist]

I am getting crushed by the English navy (mostly by carriers in the Med). Is this normal? How do I combat that, they seem super powerful.

It is normal. The Allies have a lot of advantages at sea. Far superior numbers, good naval tech, carriers. You really have to pick your fights and not try to go one-on-one with them in surface battles. In many cases it's just better to hang back and await developments. The Regia Marina (Italian navy) in particular needs to stay mostly in port until France falls and the French navy is off the gameboard. It also needs to undergo upgrades in naval weaponry to prevail. I know that Italian MPPs for research are sparse, but this has to be done as they are inferior in the naval warfare tech as well. A hit and run strategy is best where you try to hit lone enemy ships and get back to port in the same turn. You can use the submarines or aircraft to scout for opportunities but always try to make sure what seems like a lone British ship doesn't have unseen friends nearby. You also might want to make sure your ships are always under fighter cover to help repel carrier airstrikes.

At the beginning of the 1939 game the German surface navy can slip through the North Sea into the North Atlantic using cruise move on the first turn. Have them hide out in Arctic waters and then occasionally swoop down to raid convoy lines. That way they are not stuck in the Baltic Sea, and you can always relocate them to Norway later for re-supply when it becomes available.

[Taxman66]

Reasonable advice against the AI.
Vs. a human player that is a super high risk to take with the KM and will likely get it crippled to uselessness early, letting the Allied player mass against the RM once the KM has been delt with.

[Platoonist]

Reasonable advice against the AI.
Vs. a human player that is a super high risk to take with the KM and will likely get it crippled to uselessness early, letting the Allied player mass against the RM once the KM has been delt with.

Yeah, I need to put the disclaimer "lessons learned against the AI may have to be unlearned against a human player".

[jonpfl]

Reasonable advice against the AI.
Vs. a human player that is a super high risk to take with the KM and will likely get it crippled to uselessness early, letting the Allied player mass against the RM once the KM has been delt with.

I am sure I am a long way from playing against a human who would probably crush me like a bug LOL

Thx
jonpfl

[DarkHorse2]

As Italy, your best counter against the Allied Navy in the Med is going to be land-based aircraft.

I usually start a Maritime bomber as Italy as soon as possible.

Italy has a decent fleet starting out, but you have to be careful with it until you deal with the Allied CVs in the med.

The sub you get is pretty tough and can usually venture out as long as you keep it fairly close to Sicily.

Ideally, you want to be able to spot the Allied navy, while not getting spotted yourself. Once that happens, you can pummel those Allied CVs, but will need some help from Germany as Italy will not have the Air units in 1940.

After the Fall of France, as Germany I usually send a fighter and some other misc air units to Sicily, at least until Barbarossa.

Try to keep the Italian Fleet in port (except Taranto) until you spot the Allied CVs or BBs. They will be roaming the central med and should bump into your sub eventually. Try to do as much damage against the CV or BB with your air units as you can. Eventually, you should be able to bring 1 or 2 down pretty close to death. Only then send in the Regia Marina, but try to do it such that you don't leave them vulnerable to counter-attack... if you can.